ASTERACEAE

SUNFLOWER FAMILY

David J. Keil, Family Editor and author, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1–many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1–many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)4–5; stamens 4–5, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):1–28. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.

ERICAMERIA

GOLDENBUSH

Gregory K. Brown and David J. Keil

Shrubs < 50 dm, resinous, generally gland-dotted
Leaves < 10 cm, thread-like to wedge-shaped, entire
Inflorescence various; heads radiate or discoid; involucre 3–14 mm, obconic to hemispheric; phyllaries in 2–6 series, ± lanceolate to ovate, generally resinous, tips erect to recurved, obtuse to acuminate or tailed, midrib often thickened with a resin gland
Ray flowers 0–30; corollas 2–12 mm, generally yellow
Disk flowers 4–70+; corollas 3–11 mm, yellow
Fruit 2–8 mm, ribbed; pappus white to brown
Species in genus: ± 27 species: w North America
Reference: [Nesom 1990 Phytologia 68:144–155]
Generally flowers summer/autumn. Some species hybridize with Chrysothamnus nauseosus.

Native

E. cuneata (A. Gray) McClatchie

Plant 1–10 dm, glabrous, ± gland-dotted
Leaf 2–25 mm, ± oblanceolate or obovate, obtuse
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid in small compact cymes; involucre 6–12 mm, 4–14 mm diam, obconic; phyllaries 20–30 in 4–6 series, lanceolate to obovate, glabrous, sometimes resinous
Ray flowers 0–3; corollas < 5 mm
Disk flowers 7–70; corollas ± 5.5 mm
Fruit 2.5–3 mm, 5-ribbed, silky-hairy; pappus < corolla, sparse, brown
Ecology: Outcrops, slopes, cliffs
Elevation: 100–2800 m.
Bioregional distribution: Sierra Nevada, Inner South Coast Ranges, Western Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, East of Sierra Nevada, Desert
Distribution outside California: s Nevada, Arizona, nw Mexico
Synonyms: Haplopappus c. A. Gray

Native

var. cuneata

Leaves: largest 3–14(18) mm, 2–9(12) mm wide, wedge-shaped, sessile
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid, 8–11 mm, 5–7 mm diam
Disk flowers 12–33
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Granite outcrops
Elevation: 1000–2800 m.
Bioregional distribution: Sierra Nevada, Western Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, East of Sierra Nevada
Flowering time: Sep–Nov
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; GRCVR.